DARIO Gradi said earlier this week he felt his side needed to score twice to win games as they were always likely to concede.

And having failed to break down in-form Luton during the opening 85 minutes the Alex boss's worst fears were realised when some sloppy defending was punished by Steve Howard five minutes from time.

'It's the same old story - we blow hot and cold,' admitted Gradi. 'I thought during the first half we looked like getting mugged because we were playing around them and into them and barely made a chance. I didn't think they were any better than us so to lose the game was perhaps a bit cruel but that's what's happened.'

Brighton, last season's Second Division champions, lost six league games on their way to the title - Crewe have already lost two-thirds of that number with November not yet having dawned, with three of those defeats on home soil.

'We now go to Wigan on Saturday and we won't be favourites to win there but we need to win to stay among the leading pack,' added Gradi.

'And having lost this game, if we lose there we will be back in the chasing group but that is where we will deserve to be if we cannot win these sort of games.'

Luton's pattern allowed Crewe to get their full-backs forward throughout the game but David Wright never looked comfortable crossing with his left-foot and Efe Sodje's final balls from the opposite flank were more miss than hit.

A 35-yard drive from Kenny Lunt which almost escaped the clutches of Hatters keeper Cedric Berthelin was as good as it got in the first half for Crewe, while Luton grew in stature as the opening period wore on with Matthew Spring assuming an increasingly influential role in midfield.

Emmerson Boyce's pass to Howard 13 minutes before the break ended with the striker's shot trickling just the wrong side of the post.

Man of the moment Rob Hulse did his best to relieve the growing tension that lingered in the Gresty Road air with a 57th minute snapshot which shaved the outside of the post, while Richard Walker headed tamely over after good work by Hulse and captain Dave Brammer.

But as Crewe continued to falter, Luton loitered with intent. Spring sent substitute Tony Thorpe racing clear but he clipped his shot the wrong side of the post.

Five minutes from time. the Alex were not so fortunate and when a left-wing cross deflected across the face of goal, Howard was on hand to steer home the decisive goal.

Luton boss Joe Kinnear was delighted. He said: 'I'm pleased with all of them it was a magnificent collective performance. This division is all about coming to places like this and competing and we did that.'

Gradi added: 'We haven't proved to anybody that we're good enough to go up. We've just got to keep working with the players and trying to find the right formula.'